Greg,

Things have been going so well since we met – night and day difference!  I praise God every day for that!  Since we met, God has used me to bring healing/deliverance to nearly a dozen people so far.  And more coming forward every week in dire need of healing.  That’s possible now because of your faithfulness.  The things that God has done in the last few weeks blow my mind.  I could go on and on and on – I think I understand why John ends his Gospel the way he does:  “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.�  I feel the same way – it’s overwhelming to think back on all God has done in the last few weeks.  Not enough books in the world to record all of it. 

 I hope this gives you encouragement. 

You gave me back my life – thank you. 

Peace!

David

Pastor Greg,
 
We serve a “WOW” God!
 
Irma and I serve a “WOW” God. As you know, I started 2007 without a job. When I began work in March it was at a salary 33% below my previous salary. For the remainder of the year all our needs were met. No bill was paid late. Our tithes and offerings continued although both were reduced. What debt we increased was small and for Christmas for the kids and grandkids.
 
My employer has been purchased by another company. I was told I could not renegotiate my salary with the new company. But I have favor. The new company re-evaluated my experience and decided I wasn’t being paid enough. They also determined the base where I work is hard to staff so they are paying a $5k a year bonus to people working there. The combination of these two result in a pay raise on Dec 16th of 17%!
 
The new company also has openings for my skills in the Phoenix area so a transfer from my
New Mexico location may be possible in the next year.
 
The company that fired me in September, 2006 is making overtures that they want to settle my lawsuit against them for unlawful termination. With a court date of July 7, 2008, this situation will be resolved in the near future. My legal bills have been and continue to be paid by the union I represented.
 
The Christmas debt will be paid off in no time and we will begin replenishing our savings and increase our giving. (Makes me wonder where that other 33% went when we had it.)
 
God is a good God and He has always taken care of us. We rejoice in His goodness!
 
WOW!
 In His Service,
John

Hi Pastor Greg and Dawn,

I am so ready for this new year and season.  I have so…. much enjoyed and felt the whole Embracing the season of change series.  The message has meant so much to me that I decided to make a web page and a video for the message.  This is something that I am passing along to every person I meet and every member of my business. 

The past few years have been such a “season”.  In this time we opened 2 fitness centers with no financial backing, ended up after 3 years, selling one and closing the other.  We lost one of our vehicles, repo, and we are on the verge of our home foreclosing due to all of the dept created with the fitness centers.  BUT, on the other hand, we are ALL healthy, I have my Fitness Boot Camp business that has just exploded this year (just not enough to pull us out of the DEEP hole in time), David , my husband, has been promoted in his company, and we have our faith.  No matter what, we will pull thru this and this NEW SEASON is going to be just awesome.  Your message has hit us and lifted us up in every area of our lives and I just felt that I had to share it.  Please enjoy the video and pass it on if you like.  Thank you again for your devotion to our community and God….
 http://www.embracingthechange.com/

 Tracey

Dear Pastor Greg,I know you strongly advocate that Christians need to stand in leadership positions and reflect Jesus toward others.  I am writing this to tell you how that is being done in my life. 
    I am in law school right now at theUniversity of Arizona. Last week I was awarded the Blackstone Fellowship for this summer.  I will be working for Alliance Defense Fund – a Christian organization that defends pro-life causes, religious freedoms, and the sanctity of marriage.  The Fellowship begins with two weeks of training in ADF’s headquarters (in Phoenix actually) learning conservative jurisprudence and the Christian’s role in the legal community.  The following six weeks, I will be placed in another location within the United States to work alongside other lawyers, agencies and organizations which advocating Christian rights.  It cumulates with a one week debriefing afterward.  I’d like to think of it as a nine week legal mission trip. 
    This work which I will be involved with may include working on legislation to further limit abortion, or on amendments preserving marriage between a man and a women, or on litigation allowing Christians the right to use public facilities that are open to other groups.  In all honesty, I do not know what area I will be dealing with,  but there are a myriad of options available.
    It is an honor to receive this Fellowship, and I am privileged to be selected.  I wanted to encourage you that there are Christians taking a stand.  I know I am called to law school and work with this organization.  You’re right – Christians do need to be involved on all levels of society, especially in leadership.  Personally, I believe there should be special emphasis in politics and in the legal profession: the law makers, the law enforcers and the arbiters.  This is where I am called.
    And I want to thank for emphasizing that message.  I remember that the New Years’ service that you called up groups to be prayed for – leaders and businessmen.  God has called us not only to survive, but to overcome.  That prayer further encouraged me to step up, and out, and make a difference.  One of the topics I talk about with other Christians in law school is the importance of using our degree to build the kingdom.  There are not nearly enough Christian lawyers, and not everyone will be able to become them.  The ones who are remind me of Esther - being placed in a time such as this. The tricky part with law though is that it can be very tempting to pursue it with the wrong motivations (I needn’t mention the myriad of divorce, criminal, and DUI lawyers in the phonebook).  Still, in pursuing the will of God for my life, and making Him the cornerstone, everything else will be built around that.  Having the opportunity to work with Alliance Defense Fund further solidifies (and clarifies) my mission.
    And I also am blessed to have a refuge in Skyway.  Granted, I am generally only back around Christmas time, and maybe occasionally during the year (because I am down in
Tucson).  But there are many people there that I know (and love hanging out with when I return periodically), and that I count on to continue being there and building the church – you among them.  So thank you for your teaching, leading and building.
    I am including the website about the organization in case you are interested. It’s www.alliancedefensefund.org.  Also, here is some more information about the Fellowship and what it entails: www.godtube.com (search: “Blackstone”) In Christ,

Pastor Greg,

Wow, what a message today and what a great response.  I would like to know if I could get a copy of your sermon notes as I’d like to post the 7 truths that you covered today on our Employees for Christ web site as a follow up to your message to us. Thank you for the donations for the Diversity Celebration.  We had a great response, lots of interaction with people, including on the spot prayer and handing out lots of scripture verses.  I had the opportunity to pray for the City Clerk who is a new Christian. I am so thankful for the favor God is giving us… for such a time as this. I am coming to the end of my first year of my promotion.  Professionally, it has been the hardest year of my entire working career, ever.  I have been verbally attacked, blind-sided, challenged - but through it God is maturing and strengthening me, preparing me for my assignment.  I can feel a spiritual shift coming  and there is momentum building as we move away from the old ways to the new.  Since you spoke to our group, I am meeting briefly with two other ladies every Monday morning to pray for the week specifically for purpose changing the spiritual atmosphere in our office.  The impact of the prayer became immediately evident as people became less inclined to argue, contend and strive.  For the first time ever, I believe I am walking with anointing and spiritual authority in the workplace.  Every day brings new opportunities, revelations and unexpected divine appointments.  I’m earnestly seeking the new gate. 

Thank you for everything. Laura

As I was telling you on Sunday, Saturday the 21st will be one year that we have been in business.  When we started this business, people were questioning our decision because as you know construction and real estate were already starting to slow down at that time.  However, I knew that it was God’s will for me to get back in business (this is a long story for another time).  The first three months were kind of discouraging because I was bidding a lot of work and not getting any jobs (or so I thought).  My partners were starting to wonder if we had made the right decision to start a construction company at this point in time.  I would tell them almost daily “God did not lead us here only to fail, but to succeed.”  I would also tell them that even though we were not seeing the results of our bids I had faith that God was working behind the scenes and that He would bring the work at the right time.

One day out of the blue an old friend who worked with the City of El Mirage called me and said that he had some emergency work that had to be done ASAP and if I would be interested in doing it.  Even though I had to bid against other contractors to get the work, the Lord smiled upon us and we got every job we bid except for one.

Thats when it all started to happen.  As we started doing the work in El Mirage, we started getting contracts in the mail from bids that I had been sending out.  No one had called us to tell us that we had been awarded the contracts (usually you are called and told to be expecting the contract so as to look it over) they just started showing up in the mail.  My partners were amazed at what was going on and asked me how I knew that we were going to to get all this work.  They asked me if it was a gut feeling or a hunch or what was it that I was doing different in the bids.  I told them this, “It’s not what I do but it’s what He does.  It’s not who I am but who He is.  The Lord said he would never leave me nor forsake me, and that includes every aspect of my life including business.”  To this day when we get a new job we say “The Lord has smiled upon us and has blessed us with another job, blessed be the Lord.” 

This is not the only blessing from God.  We have had people literally come in off the street seeking us out with blueprints and work in hand to give to us.  They always say “So and so told us about you and gave you the highest recommendation.  They said you guys are honest and reliable, and that if you say you’ll do something you always follow through with it.” 

While other companies are laying off people, we’re hiring.  When we are asked by other people what we’re doing different than everyone else our response is “Nothing, it’s just that we’re blessed by God and it’s to Him we give the glory.”  I can’t tell you how many people have rolled their eyes when I give them that response or how times they snicker and say “yeah right”.  But hey as they say the proof is in the pudding!

I don’t know how long it takes to become profitable in any other industry but in contracting they say on the norm it takes about three years to round the corner and start making money.  In less than a year we have not only become profitable but we have close to half a millon dollars in the bank and we are debt free.  Even our heavy equipment is completely paid for.  (Our fleet is worth about $600,000.00)  Even if we didn’t pick up another job, we could keep all our employees and give them a paycheck for a year with out having to lay off a single person.

One of my partners started to worry about the economy and what he was hearing in the news and asked what I thought was going to happen.  I remembered what you said one Sunday when you said “There is no recession in God’s economy.”  I proceeded to tell him that, and I also reminded him of what I used to tell him when we first started about how God did not bring us here to fail.  I told him that we are part of Gods economy and not man’s economy.  I told him that if he listened to what men were saying he was buying into the lie, but if he had faith that God would continue to supply he would see how God is faithful to his word and takes care of this own.  I told him “I don’t care what the newspaper says, I don’t care what it says on the internet, I don’t care what the TV says, I care what God says!”  Those few words have changed his outlook.

My wife and I tithe on every single dollar that we get in.  I know people will think “If I were doing as well as you I’d have money to tithe too.”  They fail to remember that it hasn’t always been this way, this business is only a year old.  There was once a time when we were living from paycheck to paycheck only two paychecks away from living on the street.  Ever since I learned from you what the tithe is and about the first fruits, we have always put God first in our, (no His) finances.  We have to remember that we are planting seeds and seeds don’t sprout overnight, it takes time for God to make it grow.  Thats where faith really kicks in you have to have FAITH that HE WILL MAKE IT GROW!

In Matt. 9:29 Jesus said “According to Your faith, be it unto youâ€?  Jesus didn’t say, according to your need be it unto you; He said, according to your faith. That’s why it’s so important to have an attitude of expectancy every single day.

I hope that you don’t think that I am boasting Pastor, that is not my intention.  As a matter of fact I don’t really like  talking about finances with other people it makes me uncomfortable. It took a lot for me to tell you this on Sunday, but I know that you hear more negative than positive when people are talking about their finances. I just wanted you to know that God is indeed concerned about his people and I also wanted to share some good news with you for a change.

All that has been given to me is not by my hand nor by doing but by Him that paid the price for me.  As he blesses me & my wife I also try to bless others by that same measure, after all it’s not mine its His right?

I hope this will encourage others and show them that God is in control, and that he still works in behalf of his people.  God bless you!

Your brother in Christ, 

 Wil

Hi Pastor Greg,                                                                                                        
Here is my testimony, of course use whatever portion you need since it is long ,you can use my name if you want. My brain tumor was discovered in December of 2006 when my husband and I decided to try for another baby. A month went by and no pregnancy which wasn’t normal for us so I thought it strange. I had also been having for months serious light sensitivity (having to wearing sunglasses even indoors) vision problems and sinus pain, but I thought I was getting ready to have a migraine. I went to the doctor and told her about not getting pregnant and we both decided it maybe was because I was older now so it would take more time ,so I left it at that, but only for another few weeks I just didn’t feel right. By now it was February 2007 when I went back to see her and this time she ran some blood test, that was when we discovered the I had a brain tumor. I told my husband that night he came home from work and we just began to pray. We were of course told to stop trying for a baby and the doctor said she wasn’t even sure we would ever be able to have another child or a normal pregnancy if we did conceive beacuse of the tumor. In a few days I was sent over to a Endocrinologist and was set up to get an MRI to determine the size to see what the best treatment would be. She said my options were brain surgery with or without chemo, or chemo along with medication if it was small enough to shrink with that. She told me quite honestly that the level in my blood and the symptoms I had indicated a larger sized tumor. That night I had a talk with the Lord and asked him to give me the strength to get through this. My family back home was also praying for Gods will and that he would heal me. The results of the MRI took two weeks so we prayed and waited. In church one Sunday before I got the results when we had prayer time for healing I felt an almost electric sensation that  split right down the middle of my head, then I heard the voice of the Holy Ghost say “you are healed”. I was amazed and I whispered to my husband what had just happened. Well when I went that week to get the results the doctor had a look of confusion and told me the tumor was gone. All that remained was an empty space the size of how big the tumor had been. She asked me to get another opinion that she was worried she missed something, she was not comfortable with treating me beacuse it didn’t make sense to her. In her list of options for me to get rid of the tumor she didn’t know about God’s options about his mercy and grace but she does now and so do I. I don’t consider the space in my brain to be empty it is full of God’s hope and love for all of us as his children. This story is not only mine but ours as God’s people, to give hope, restore hope and to renew our faith in our Father who loves us beyond our understanding. Through all this one of the many things I have learned is that we are not bound by the things of this world and we are strong because of Christ Jesus to stand and not be moved and not to just sit back and take what the enemy tries to do to us. Our prayer is effective!!!! In March 2007 I was put on medication that I was told I would have to take for the rest of my life, but God once again had other plans and in April the doctor stopped the meds. she said I simply no longer needed them. Then in May 2007 we conceived, but within a few days of finding out we lost that baby. We were heartbroken, but still we would trust in the Lord. Two months later we concieved again and in a couple of weeks from now our baby girl will be due. All glory to God, I will praise him in the good and in the bad. 

Toby

My name is Beverly, Walter’s wife.  I wanted to share with you what God has done for our 7 year old grandson, Tristan.  About a month ago, Tristan was spending the night with me and got an earache.  I took him to Next Care in the morning.  The doctor there noticed that one tonsil was much larger than the other.  He said that was a sign of cancer and we must get Tristan to an ear, nose, and throat specialist as soon as possible.  The specialist said that it very likely could be cancer and the tonsils had to come out as soon as possible.  We brought him up for prayer in church, and Pastor Marie prayed for him after church.  He had his surgery March 4.  It went very well, he didn’t even complain of a sore throat afterwards.  We finally got the lab results yesterday - the doctor said “no Cancer!”   I just feel that it was cancer before prayer, but God healed it. 
give God the glory!
 
-Beverly

Dear pastor Greg,

 Grace and peace from our God be with you.

 I hope you are doing well. I am in deep move together with others brothers and sisters for preparing the biggest youth conference in this Balkan area. Almost all Churches in
Croatia are included, and they will send their youth to this gathering. For the first time in history wee will have Christian concert on main Croatian square in Zagreb. We have big job to do. Sometimes I am under heavy burden, and also all team, but our Lord strengthens us.

 Update! -We sent $1,000.00 offering to this event from our First Fruits – Pastor Greg

Pastor Sam,
 
Just wanted to follow up with you.  Diana and I asked for prayer concerning our rental house during our membership class.  Well, we did finish the repairs from the water damage, and Diana took photos of the remodel.  Then she made a flyer for me to take to work.  I am not allowed to put up flyers at work so they just sat on the corner of my desk.  Due to the nature of my job I do have a lot of people in and out of my office all day, and we had a renter after only 4 hours.  We have since signed a lease agreement.
 
Just as a info bit here, we would prefer to remain anonymous.
 
Thanks and God bless,
 
Jim and Diana